PetersCreek
Codger-in-training
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2005
- Messages
- 753
Sitting on the deck and looking up at my now snow- and ice-free roof, I think back to last Saturday when it wasn't so ice-free. I was sitting in the "office" absorbed in some 3D modeling for a new project, when all hell started breaking loose. I thought at first that a plane had crashed into the house...a huge bang and the house shook...hard. Really hard. Earthquake hard. Then I heard something clattering on the lower roof just above me and I knew what it was. Ice. I looked out to see large chunks crash onto the deck, which also shook mightily.
After the last big snowfall, we had the roof shoveled to relieve the load but the ice dams along the eaves were still there and they were substantial. Over the last few weeks of warmer weather and clear skies, they had been slowly melting. Saturday, the one over the office gave way. It was still about 8 inches thick in places and probably about 30 feet long and it came down all at once.
This was the first time this has happened in 13 years in the house. The dams have always melted and came down in small pieces. Fortunately, we'd had the roof done a couple of years ago and now have full length ridge vents capable of taking the blow. Impressive. Of course, it took some time for my adrenalin levels to fall from "Oh, shit!" and I'm surprised I didn't have to burn my skivvies, never mind wash them.
After the last big snowfall, we had the roof shoveled to relieve the load but the ice dams along the eaves were still there and they were substantial. Over the last few weeks of warmer weather and clear skies, they had been slowly melting. Saturday, the one over the office gave way. It was still about 8 inches thick in places and probably about 30 feet long and it came down all at once.
This was the first time this has happened in 13 years in the house. The dams have always melted and came down in small pieces. Fortunately, we'd had the roof done a couple of years ago and now have full length ridge vents capable of taking the blow. Impressive. Of course, it took some time for my adrenalin levels to fall from "Oh, shit!" and I'm surprised I didn't have to burn my skivvies, never mind wash them.